Part Two Nikon's AF Zoom Nikkor 35-70mm f/2.8S
MACRO original
version of the wideangle-moderate telephoto zoom lens
Year Introduced: December, 1987; Discontinued: 1992

The excellent Nikon Manual
Focus Zoom
Nikkor 35-70mm f/3.5
zoom lens was first introduced as a non-Ai version in 1976 and followed up with an
updated Ai-spec version in 1979. Subsequently, the 1981 Ai-S update was considered
as an interesting upgrade because despite it shares an almost identical optical structure
internally, the Ai-S Nikkor zoom has a built-in MACRO function to deliver an impressive
1:4 magnification ratio at its closest focus distance at 0.5m. The 35/70 f/3.5 Nikkor
zoom lens was used to be one of the most expensive wideangle zoom lens in the Nikkor
lens family. I remembered it was sold almost at par with the famed Zoom Nikkor 80-200mm f/4.0S Nikkor tele-zoom and it was just a
basic 35-70mm zoom lens with a constant maximum aperture of f/3.5. But those days
Nikon was used to be very careful in dealing with any zoom lenses that carried their
"Nikkor" name tag. And even at later stage when other budget zoom lenses
were streaming out, the MF Nikkor zoom 35-70 f/3.5 was still stuck firmly with its
original high price tag from where it has started. Of course, the whole scenario
changed after the autofocus era began during the mid '80.

From street candid to documentary or journalism, you
can find this lens a good companion zoom lens with its constant fast lens speed of
f/2.8. Shanghai Internatinal Airport, 2006.

Introduced in 1987, that was
roughly a year ahead of the classic AF Nikkor Zoom 80-200mm f/2.8S telephoto-zoom
, both of these
large aperture Nikkor zoom lenses were like a standard lenses for professionals who
uses the Nikon 35mm SLR system. So, from 35mm all the way through to 200mm all you
need was to have two lenses to cover their basic needs in this range. Beyond these
focal length, one can use an ultrawide as well as super-telephoto at the both ends
to aid other system needs. Nikon didn't took a short cut in this autofocus 35-70mm
zoom lens by replicating the manual focus version into an autofocus zoom. It was
actually being designed from ground up. As a start, it has been boosted with a faster
constant aperture of f/2.8 which maintains throughout its entire zoom range from
35-70mm. Since it carried the benefit of being introduced a year later after the
initial batch of Nikon autofocus lenses surfaced, Nikon has taken into consideration
with the initial negative reaction from Nikon photographers who had so much of criticism
on the poor manual focus ring design and so, this original AF Zoom Nikkor 35-70mm
f/2.8S actually has quite a different appearance, look and feel from from those early
series of AF Nikkor zoom lenses.

Different? Yeap. Firstly, this
AF Nikkor zoom does not has the familiar focus distance window display as found on
other AF Nikkor lenses. It actually looks very much like a conventional manual focus
zoom lens when view from a distance. Although it looks like a dual ring zoom lens,
it actually adopts a one-touch SLIDING ZOOM design where zoom action is via push
and pull method. However, it does carry with a few things over from the Ai-S MF Nikkor
Zoom f/3.5s such as a button for release the mechanism of its close focusing to MACRO
mode. The MACRO lock is actually placed at the zoom ring where the close up extension
is represented by a bright orange index line on the zoom ring. Further, one may feel
very different in how to zoom the lens from 35-70mm works in this 35/70 as the 35mm
is actually at the outward end of the zoom. So, it may be different from other Nikon
zoom in its in basic lens handling.

The optical composition of
this 35/70 f/2.8 uses an all new 15 elements in 12 groups design. Where some of you
may remember how the MF predecessor performs so well with its close focus capability;
this AF Zoom Nikkor 35-70mm f/2.8S never disappoints either in this area. The minimum
focusing distance reaches to approx. 0.6m (2') at normal, marked distance scale but
after activation and release the MACRO button on the zoom ring, it can close focus
as close as to 0.28m (11"). At such close focus distance, it delivers an equally
impressive 1:4 Magnification Ratio - almost comparable to the Manual Focus Nikkor
Zoom. Further, Nikon advises if uses the zoom in conjunction with a Nikon 6T close
up filter - an amazing near-1:1 is possible with this AF zoom lens ! Nice to find
such feature in a zoom lens huh ?

Another feature found in this
lovely Nikkor zoom lens is the zoom lens permits focus to be set with zooming control.
It doesn't has the internal focus design but while you push and pull, only the focus
rings turns while the zoom lens barrel stays put. Both the manual focusing ring and
zoom ring use a common design in a hard rubberized covering. Personally I think they
should have been designed differently so as to permit feel of the hand during shooting
to differentiate the two respective purpose. Anyway, that is not important as all
you need is to spend a little time to get the feel of it and you should be easily
got adaptive and be able to distinguish their functions (where the MF ring is the
the front, it is thinner while the zoom ring is closer to the camera body and has
a wider grip).

Solidly built and very rigid.
Weighing at 665g (approx. 23.5oz) , the feel of the weight is just about right when
mounted this zoom onto any of the mid range or professional grade Nikon SLR body.
The additional weight probably has indirectly projects the quality feel of it and
even if it has been using some polycarbonated parts in its construction Despite other
good changes that separates it from the original batch of autofocus Nikkor lenses,
this lens still uses an old twisted knob for the minimum aperture lock - it provides
as an alternate mean in how to verify this original version from the D-spec zoom
introduced later in 1992. Further, another easier way for verification is at its
lens description where the original does not has a "D" behind the maximum
aperture value of 1:2.8.

Other than the pool of professional
photographers who formed the basis as its largest consumers, this fabulous fast speed
Nikkor autofocus zoom lens does attract many other serious amateurs and users. The
primarily appealing element with this fast speed zoom lens was with its high speed
f/2.8 constant aperture. If you are observance enough, you may notice those early
days around the Nikon F4 era, the Nikkor lens family heavily missed
a fast speed wideangle zoom lens option in the wideangle zoom category. For an example,
the AF
Zoom Nikkor 20-35mm f/2.8D
was only being introduced late in 1993. Other than this 35/70mm, for those who prefers
a wider picture angle, Nikon has only an AF Zoom-Nikkor 28-85mm f/3.5~4.5S to offer and it comes with only a
so-so maximum lens speed. So, this 35/70 f/2.8 Nikon zoom actually stands up alone
in the Nikkor lens group as the only pro-calibre fast speed wideangle zoom. The moderate
35mm startup angle was actually its main weakness as it restricts itself for a more
extensive range of usage. But that was how lens development evolved itself from demand
and needs in the market.

Due to its extraordinary light
gathering power, the crystal clear front and rear lens elements are quite a quite
large piece at the front as well as the rear section. The lens coating is typically
green and pink based.

<<<--- Comparing both the first
generation professional grade Nikon AF Zoom Nikkor 35-70mm f/2.8S with the pin-size
consumer grade AF
Zoom Nikkor 35-70mm f/3.3~4.5S
will reveal how both lenses in their differences in size/dimension. Naturally, they
have different price categories as well. The f/2.8 lens has a 62mm bayonet filter
ring diameter, uses HB-1 lens hood.

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